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In Trauma there is Strength

Those of you who have followed us for any length of time will most likely recognize my M♥M. This is her and her sidekick, Maddy, after she had just finished cleaning out our goat barn...by hand.

Even though she lives 6 hours south of us she is a huge presence at The Farmstead, visiting at least once a month to help with farm projects, visit her Angora Goat, Lulu, and just generally spend time with us.

When Gizmo was born she decided she was going to spend the entire month of December with us for some quality Gramma time. We were thrilled since I was back to work on December 2nd and Nick would then have some time to get some winter projects done outside.

The first few days were perfect…as they always are when my M♥M is at the farm.

But then, through a bizzare, freakish, whatever word you want to use, accident, she was run over by her 1-Ton Diesel Truck.

I won’t recount the whole event except to say there are no words to describe how awful it was. M♥M was eventually transported to a Regional Trauma Center for care to treat her extensive list of injuries—a completely shattered pelvis, a broken sacrum, eleven broken ribs and a lung with a hole in it. She will walk again but the prognosis is slow…perhaps in a few months she can bear weight on one of her legs.

It’s a terrible, terrible accident, but, it’s also a blessing. So many things went right.

First, the truck didn't hit any vital organs and she isn't paralyzed. These two things by themselves are reason to celebrate. We are fortunate.

Second, my M♥M is fit and active. She has no chronic health conditions (apart from migraines which she has struggled with since she was twelve) which enabled her to go straight from the ICU to surgery. Her surgeon shared with us that sometimes people with injuries like hers languish in the ICU for weeks while they try to stabilize other issues so they can operate. Because she was operated on within 24 hours of the accident her pelvis was still “pliable”, it hadn't begun to set wrong, and they were able to return it to 95% of its original shape.

Originally we were told her surgery would be 6.5 hours and that they would repair her pelvis by affixing steel plates to all the breaks. Basically she would have a steel pelvis. But then, after 2.5 hours she was being wheeled out! It turns out her bones were so strong that they didn't need to use even one steel plate. They repaired her using just a few pins. Again, a testament to her incredible health.

And finally, it’s Winter here in the Pacific Northwest. M♥M will walk again and, according to her surgeon, she will eventually be back to 95% strength. If there ever was a season for healing it’s now, when the days are short and the nights are long.

My M♥M is the real deal. One time, while living in Tampa, Florida she was mugged by a less than upstanding gentleman who was trying to steal her jewelry and her purse. Not only did he not succeed, she fought his bike away from him and he took off running. Later we found out that this guy was also strung out on drugs, and technically should have had super-human strength. But still, he was no match for my M♥M. If that’s not tough, I don’t know what is.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering the bicycle was also stolen and thanks to her, returned to its rightful owner.

Which isn't to say she doesn't have a long, hard road ahead of her. She does. But, she can do this. M♥M is the strongest, kindest, most generous woman I know. She also has an incredibly quirky sense of humor. She's never been afraid of hard work, in fact, she welcomes it. Right before she went into surgery they told her to think up a nice daydream so she would have it in her head under anesthesia. Her response? "I want to be on the other end of my wheelbarrow."

Healing from this injury is just a different kind of work. If anyone can get through this trauma with grace and a smile on her face, it’s her.